Thankyou indeed. For your calmness, your proffesionalism, for bringing the same game night after night after night after night. For never getting injured, and then playing when you were injured. For your outlet pass, for your heads-up slapshot, for your ability to keep the puck in at the blue line better than anyone. For burying the Cherryism that no European captain would ever lift the Stanley Cup. For your arrival which directly coincided with our rise to success, for your departure which now bookmarks what all future generations of Redwings fans will call "The Lidstrom Era".

"If I can be totally honest, it's not a lot of guys you get impressed by. Actually, it's no one else but him. From the bench, to see what move he makes -- you're like, 'I wish I could do that.' Sometimes you sit on the bench and just think, 'wow,' and you look over to the other bench and they sit there and shake their heads, too. He has great, great skills. I'm probably not going to play with another player who has the kind of skills he has." Mikael Samuelsson on Pavel Datsyuk

I've started watching hockex as a young kid and everyone talked about that young swedish kid ripping the NHL a new one...the time goes too fast I already hate the presser but I will watch it and promised my GF to not cry but it will be damn hard.

Thank you so much for everything you did for hockey and especially this organization you have filled in big shoes after Stevie retired but because of professionalism, unmatched hockey IQ, leadership and calm behaviour this transition has been way easier, than everyone would have imagined. Words can't describe how big of an impact your retirement will be for the whole hockey world. It ashames me deep deep and evern deeper into my heart seeing you go out in the first round, one last cup would have been the only acceptable way to see a top 5 (I dont care what others are saying) alltime-great retiring. You will be heavily missed an no Weber or Suter will even come close to replace you.

Thanks for 2 decades of just being what you are...the perfect human see my sig.

Watching games makes me very tired for working at 7am(jetlag). So thank you Mister#5 for all the troubles you get me into!!! I Will follow the next season with little sadness in my wing's Broken heart....

No words seem to be enough to say thanks for what #5 has done for this organization. Enjoy being up in the rafters next season! In what's likely the toughest arena to get your jersey raised, that's where you belong.

It's amazing how much clarity comes when you care more about the Red Wings than any individual player.

"They are the best team in the world. They are a team that can just take over when they want to," Chicago's Patrick Kane said (of the Detroit Red Wings).

Even though it had to happen one day, and there was a decent chance it would be this year, I'm still in shock.

The fact that potentially signing a 27 year old top 10 D-man stud in his prime (Suter) will not make up for the loss of an almost 42 year old 20 year veteran speaks volumes to just how good Lidstrom was and still is.

As good as we've known him to be in his career, his legend will grow that much more when we see, over the next few seasons, how much he'll be missed on this team.

Right now I'm feeling like I don't even know if the organization will be able to perform basic daily tasks like flooding the ice at the Joe, or prepping Murphy's hotdogs, or sharpening skates, without Lidstrom around.

Thanks for everything Nick. The Perfect Human. If I could have paid your salary out of my own pocket, I would have.

Thank you, Nick. I can't even begin to gather my thoughts on what you've meant to this fan, so I'll just leave it at that. Wish I could do better for the Perfect Human, but that's the problem - it's too hard to quantify everything that's made you perfect.

Nick Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman made hockey something more than just a game. I've always felt that it was ridiculous to look towards athletes to be role models but in his case it is completely warranted. The calm demeanor, the "never say die" attitude, and the ever-present fire to succeed are rare and irreplaceable.

I don't think I will ever be able to fully appreciate what Nick has given to the Red Wings.

I have two very vivid memories of you. First is when you scored that goal from center ice against Vancouver in '02. I looked at my husband and said, "This changes everything. We're going to win it all." I remember where I was, and that memory will always be a strong one.

But the best moment is one that you gave me two years ago at training camp. You walked by where we sat, stopped and took off your gloves to pet our service dog, Loki. You stood there and talked to us, petted Loki, and even let me get a pic of you. It was a simple gesture, I'm sure you didn't think anything of it. But to the two of us, it was indicative of the kind of person you are - classy, kind and wonderful.

Lidstrom's name will be said in the same tone as other names like Gretsky, Orr, Sawchuk, Brodeur, Yzerman, Messier, among others: respect. The have all brought something to the league that raised it up to the level that it is at.

Lidstrom was a defenseman that just had the intimate knowledge of hockey and a sort of omniscience of where everyone is and what will happen next and counter any moves. He is like Bobby Fischer, he can out-think his opponents, and used minimal amounts of effort to counter, thus his long playing career.

His impact on hockey will be felt long, long after he's left it, and that is probably the best tribute to him than any statue, award, or speech given about him.

Edited by commadore183, 31 May 2012 - 12:54 PM.

Mike Illich does not care about Detroit. Boycott 2013 Winter Cla$$ic.Skilled hockey is, and will forever be, winning hockey. Deal with it."A perfect vision, some simple ways to let you knowFree range humans all couped up naked clone is playing lame" Avon by Queens of the Stone Age

Hey rbkhockey43, did you make that picture? Do you mind if I post it on my FB? It's pretty awesome.

As for Nick, there are no words in any language that can describe how much fans appreciated him. I shed a couple manly tears during the presser today. I'm not sad though, just feeling so honored to have been able to appreciate him as a player and a person while he was still playing and to this day. I never met him even though he lives down the street from my Ex-girlfriend. But I didn't need to meet him. He has done enough for the fans and this city. He has earned the right to do whatever he pleases and if that means moving back to Sweden then so be it. You know as the time passes, he will yearn to watch Red Wings hockey in person and will be back one day even if only for a game or two. Here's to all your future endeavors Nick.